I've been having some interesting chats with tour operators lately about what is reasonable to ask from an agent on a fam.
I am surprised at the number of tour operators who don't ask the agents to do anything! I thought most would ask the agent to give a presentation to their colleagues on what they learnt on return, take photos and share them with other agents (on the travelhub!), write hotel reviews for Gazetteers or write a post on their own agency blog if they have one.
Agents - what do you think? How much do you expect to do on a fam and when do you think tour operators are asking too much or not enough?
I Think Tour Operators are realising that Fams need to be carefully thought out. After all What is it the Tour operator is wanting to get out of it's hard earned investment? A sale would be nice, Two or three even better. A Long term relationship with Agent and Operator and regular sales the prime objective.
I Always ask my Consultants to make as much use of fams as possible, We take Photographs and put together portfolios that we can show our clients and use these on our Blog , Computer and facebook. They are also encouraged to spend time with The Hotel Manager , Senior staff and The Head chefs if possible and get business cards ( it's not What we know, but who We Know that helps). Sometimes we don't have the time for this and more time needs to be built into fam trips so that the Agent has time to experience the destination and not visiting 15 Hotels each day. By Experience the destination, I don't mean having free time to Sunbathe ( As you often hear agents moaning they don't have any time to do this, or have time for shopping!!!! usually the ones that don't take notes or have a Camera with them!!) but building in more cultural experiences, Visiting local producers and perhaps arranging a Hotel Inspection of their choice that could help enhance Sales for both Operator and Agent.
I'm afraid it's rare that we would share on Travelhub with other Agencies, or write reviews for Gazetteers (unless they paid us hansomely and covered all of our travel expenses) or provide other Agents on a fam with our Photos ,as Why should my Agency and my Staff do all of the hard work in the first place to someone who'd rather be sitting on the Beach or going shopping !!!!
Hi Emily, hi addickted,
Best to follow up with a competition for fam. attendees to see who can make the most bookings after the trip. Works for us!
What's more we are more than happy to attend client events with agents inspired by a fam. In May last year Sarah (then Hyde-Barker) went to Tanzania on a fam. with Somak. In July she held a Tanzania 'Open-Day' to which she'd invited key customers. I attended and we served coffee she'd brought back, we wore tribal robes and decorated the shop. We ended up with a good range of enquiries! LN
Went on one fam in the 80's (god I am old) and the tour operator gave us a daily note sheet to record the Highlights. This was the best idea I found and still do it now. Mix that with photos and you have a good record of the trip.
We also have a short talk when ever anyone gets back from a fam, however I will say we do this when someone goes on holiday to somewhere new to. The tour operators used to give out excurions and other benefits on agents holidays and this always helped. I went on a holiday with Airtours a company I disliked when I went, but due to free trips and the great all round experance I really pushed them when I returned.
@addicikted you are right about not wanting to do the hard work for those agents who only want to sunbathe. But I was surprised that ops / tourists boards actually let this happen! I've been on a few fams and seen how professional agents can be, like you say making loads of contacts for themselves, thoroughly checking out hotels, taking a keen interest in the local culture etc. However, I've also been on one or two trips with the odd agent (a very small minority) who don't even want to do things like try new foods - if I was paying for someone to go on the trip who wasn't making the most of it, I would be disappointed.
Went on the Avro 25Years Fam Trip to the Algarve last September and it was fab, instead of Hotel visits, it concentrated on the resorts, taking us up and down the Algarve and treating us as tourists and not agents, so we were able to see the Algarve through our customers eyes.
This was a brilliant trip and i got loads out of it and now sell the Algarve with great enthusiasm and more knowledge than i would of got being in and out of hotels all day long.
Thanks again to Chris and Damian Holiday Taxis, Gordon from Cosmos and Jose and Miguel from visitportugal.
You dont have to be mad, but it helps!
Hi Emily,
I think the main problem, is that some agents, regard this as a free holiday, and its not. ! Its harder than being at work, but they can be a lot of fun and very profitable in the years to come. !
However some of the problem is the employers and not the agents involved in the trip ! The branch / managers owners, should choose carefully who goes on a trip, and make it clear what is expected of them , in terms of notes, photos, promotional etc when they come back from a trip - we do and we find them very useful.
However employers have to play ball to - I've been on trips where agents have to take them as annual leave, or they employers refuse to pay towards them, or the expenses to get to the airport etc. Why oh why ! These trips should earn money back for the agency. Why should an employee pay to help an employers business. Its hardly fair or motivating.
On the other hand, people organising fam trips, especially those lovely long haul ones, have to realise, its not about cramming in as many hotels as you possibly can during one day. ! Getting straight off a 12 hour flight in economy, after being at work all day before and then taking you to four hotels to inspect, before you even get to change out of the clothes that you have been traveling in. ! You don't remember anything, you seem to be dazed when you meet the hotels and hence they think you are not interested. ! How about giving a day of rest and then have refreshed and recharged agents, ready to take the world on !!
Personally I think operators should ask all participents what they intend to do to market the destination, the hotels and the operator that have paid for the trip on there return and then the op should check the agent has done it. ! - As they say there is no such thing as a free lunch !
What's a FAM trip!! oh yes I remember them from many years ago!!!
Well working in Business Travel they are practically non existent, but I do think it is only reasonable for Agents to be expected to attend hotel inspections, after all it is to their benefit when it comes to selling! I don't think it's unreasonable to expect at least an afternoon free depending on length of stay.
I know, it is a shame that there aren't more biz travel fams - particularly when the sector sells so many high value airline seats etc (or was that in the days before corporates started saying staff can only fly economy). I agree, it is reasonable to expect agents to attend hotel inspections - though not always straight after they have stepped off a long haul flight or several in a row!
Hi
I am hosting a fam trip to Dubai next month for a small group of key agents. Having been an (independent) agent for some years before I stepped over to the (dark) side of tour operating I feel reasonably confident I understand the balance required for a rewarding itinerary.
We have concentrated on ensuring the participants enjoy a mix of culture/hotel inspections and leisure time. For what is a relatively short visit we have included free mornings and afternoons to enjoy the many facilities of our 2 host hotels. I have felt in the past that often the host hotels can be overlooked when the itinerary includes 8 hotel visits per day!
Generally in my experience an agents maximum hotel facility retention limit is about 4 per day. (3 will be the absolute maximum on this trip)
We will be showing the full range of activities available - including a morning skiing on real snow and then a chance to surf on sand the very same afternoon!!
I do hope/expect the participants to provide a full report/presentation to their colleagues on their return although I'm pretty confident that the very nature of an independent agent is to share their experiences/knowledge with their colleagues and clients.
I will be running a post fam trip incentive, rewarding those who confirm bookings with us following the fam trip - this helps us identify some return on our investment (hopefully even giving agents the chance to return at leisure).
I will also be expecting participants to complete a feedback questionnaire - nothing too taxing (I've been on the old Thomson fam trips with the ring binder questionnaires and fact books!!) Just a chance for us to get vital feedback from agents who's opinions are crucial to us.
We pride ourselves on being extremely trade friendly (96% of our business) and think the rewards are there to be had for both the individual, the agency, the tour operator and of course the clientbase....without us cracking the whip or the agent treating it as a jolly..
Dominic
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